Nottinghamshire firefighters deployed to Cumbria flooding emergency

Andy Done-Johnson

Firefighters and officers from Nottinghamshire have today (Monday December 7) travelled to Cumbria to assist with the national response to severe flooding and disruption caused by Storm Desmond.

At least a dozen Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) personnel, including a flood rescue tactical advisor and a welfare officer, will join dozens of fire and rescue crews from across the country as part of a nationwide response to what has now been declared a major incident.

It is anticipated they will remain there until Tuesday, when a relief crew will travel from Nottinghamshire to take over.

Nottinghamshire is one of many fire and rescue services nationally that form part of the Flood Rescue Asset Register, whereby specialist resources and trained crews can be called on to assist at incidents of national importance or which cause significant disruption or risk.

The service’s specially trained boat rescue team, currently based at Tuxford and Highfields fire stations, and its enhanced logistic support team from Mansfield can be deployed to anywhere in the country to provide support to incidents.

Station Manager Kevin Cleary, who has co-ordinated the deployment of Nottinghamshire staff to Cumbria, said: “Following a COBRA meeting the situation in Cumbria has now been declared a major incident, and it is in line with this that NFRS has deployed two crews, plus two officers, to the scene.

“The service’s specialist boat team will join the rescue effort in Cumbria while our enhanced logistic support team will be involved in the deployment of national resources which have travelled from across the country. Both teams have received a high level of training for this kind of work and will be doing all they can to assist our colleagues in Cumbria in keeping people safe from harm and reducing the risks associated with major flooding.”